Traffic signal for automobiles and the like



Feb. 12 1924. 1,483,734

w. J. KRAMER TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Fil'ed May 9. 1921 DWI-INTO? will/am J Kramer ATTORNEY Patented Feb, 12, 1924..

UNITED srnrss PATENT onion;

WILLIAM J. KRAMER, OF 'ST. LOUIS, MISSDUBI, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF HENDRICKS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TO IRA. W.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed May 9,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. KRAMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new, and useful Improvement in Trafiic Signals for Automobiles and the like, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyin drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in traffic signals for automobiles and the like, the chief object of my present invention being to provide'a simple, compact and inexpensive attach-' ment' which may be readily mounted upon the car and which comprises a swingable arm that may be conveniently selectively actuated to indicate or signal the occupants of following cars or traffic that the automobile or carequipped with my new signalling device or attachment is about to stop or slacken speed or to turnto the right or to the left, as the case maybe.

1 With the above and other objects in view, my present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, 1 and combination of parts hereinafter described and afterwards pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a fragmental plan view in outline of an automobile equippedwith a signalling attachment embodying my invention; I

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the signalling attachment or device with, the signalling-arm in stop or slacken speed position as in Figure 1; I l

Figure 3 is a side View of the attachment, partly in section on the line 33 Figure 2, with the signalling-arm straight ahead position; v Figure 4 is a reduceddetail. elevational- "view of the signalling-arm, showing the,

same in full lines in normal or straight.

ahead position and in dotted lines in itsvarious selective trafiic signaling positions, and

F igure 5 1s a reduced detail elevational view of one of the contact or switch-meme I bers of the attachment. 7

Referring now more in detailto the said drawing,- which illustrates a practical embodiment of myinvention andin which like in normal or- 9 in operative alignment with the gear 8,

1921. Serial No. 467,862.

reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a preferably tubular member or short pipebar which, in use or operation, is rigidly located in a horizontally disposed position upon a car A preferably to the front of the tion upon thetube l by a set-screwor other suitable means 2, is an approximately U- shaped block or bearing-member 3; and

threaded or otherwise fastened upon the other or. outer end of tube 1 is a'barrel or cylindrical bearing 4 apertured for communication with the interior of pipe 1.

Mounted at its inner end portion for rotaryr movement in the legs of the block 3, is a shaft 5 suitably elongated, as shown,

.to project rearwardly of the car through an insulation block 6 suitably fixed upon the instrument-board B, the outer or rear end of the shaft 5 being provided with an actuating wheel or other handle 7 located preferably within convenient reach of the driver of the car. Fixed upon the shaft 5 and located for rotary-movement intermee diate the legs of the block 3, is a gear 8.

Projecting through and disposed for rotary movement in the bearing 4, is a suitable preferably tubularshaft 9 slotted longitudinally to provide communication between its interior and the interior of pipe 1'. Fixed upon the rearward end of shaft is a vsecondgear 10 having driven connection .w1ththe first gear 8 bymeans of a chain or other suitable flexible member 11;

and held in position uponan extension 10' of pinion or gear- 10 .by a cap or the like 12, for purposes shortly appearing, is a mir- 'ror-disk or other reflecting member 13,

Fixed upon the forward endof shaft 9, isa nut or the like let, fixed in which at its lower end is a suitably elongated arm preferably in the form of a tube 15,the tube 15, nut 14, and shaft 9 being suitablyaperthe like 17', and also mounted for removal upon the free outer end of arm 1.5 to enclose the lamp 1?, is a globe 18 composed of celluloid or other suitable preferably nonbreakable translucent material.

Preferably embedded in the insulation block 6, are arcuated contact-members 1919, one of which is adapted for electrical connection through wire 23 with one side ofthe'lamp socket 16, and the other of ivhic-h' is suitably grounded upon thecar by means of a wire 22, and leading from the other side ofthe' lamp socket 16 to a storage battery or other source of current 21 carried by thecar-is a conducting Wire Fixed upon and for movement with the shaft 5 forbridging and thereby electrically connecting the contact members 19 19, is a switch-arm 24. i

Normally the arm is in the upright straight-adead position thereof illustrated in Figure 3 and in full lines in Figure 4: and engages a movement limiting-stop 25 pro- Vided'upjon thebearing-member l, and when the arm 15 is in such normal position, the switch-arm 2 1 is in the position thereof illustrated in dotted lines inoFigure 5, the circut to the lamp" 17 being open. Should now the driverfdesire to signal following cars or traffic that he is about to turn to the right, or to stop or slaclren speed, or to turn to the left, as the case may'be, the wheel"? is grasped and turned to the left, whereby, through the chain-connected gears 8 and 10, the arm 15 is'selectively actiiated or shifted accordingly, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4:, a spring or other yielding member 26 fastened upon the member 4: and provided with aseries of spaced depressions 27 engaging the armto releasably hold the same in its normal, as well as in its several shifted signaling positions. A second stop 28 also fixed upon the member 4 and suitably spaced z from stop 25 serves to limit the movement of the arin 15 to its final shifted signaling position. It will be obvious that, when the arm I is soshifted, the switch-arm 24L- Will engage th'econtacts 1 9- 19 and thereby close the circuit to thelamp 17 for illuminating the globe 18, as in night-time or darkness,

the mirror 13, by reflection and in co-opera- 7 tion with illuminated globe 18, enabling fol- .ri d

vlowing traific in'darknessto observe the particular shifted signaling 7 position of the arm 15.

wlieel;. ,'both the signaling arm 15, its carlamp 1? glober18, and theswitch- 4. will'be returned to normal straight arm ahe 'Enclosingth e gene's-estimate, their con:

OI1 reversely actuating or turning the necting chain 11, is a protective shell or casing-'29.

My new signaling attachment 'is simple and inexpensive in form and construction, may be readily mounted upon the automobile, and has been found'exceedingly convenient and efficientin performing its intended functions. 7

I am aware that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the attachment may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is: V r

1. An automobile-signaling attachment comprising, in combination, a supportingbar adapted'for rigid location horizontally upon the automobile forwardly of theinstrument-board thereof, spaced bearings fixed on the bar, shafts mounted for rotation in said bearings at right angles to thebar, a shiftable signaling-arm fixed at an end upon one of the shafts and disposed at a rightangle thereto, gears fixed upon both the shafts, a fiexible'member connecting the gears, and an operatingmember fixed upon the other'shaft for manually actuating the gears to shift the arm through rotary actuation ofsaid one shaft.

2. An automobile-signaling attachment comprising, in combination, a" supportingbar adapted for rigid location horizontally upon the automobile forwardly of the instrument-board thereof, spaced bearings comprising, in combination, a supportingbar adapted for rigid location horizontally upon the automobile forwardly of the in s trument-bo'ard thereof, spaced bearings fixed on the baig slia fts mounted for rotation in said bearings at right angles to the bar, a shiftable signaling-arm fixed at an, endupon one of the shafts and disposed at a right angle thereto, gears fixed upon both the shafts, a flexible member connecting the gears, an operating member fixed upon the other shaft for manually actuating the gears to shift the armthrough rotary actuation of saidone shaft, and a yielding'unember fixed upon one or the bearings and. provided with iSG a series of spaced depressions for engagement with the arm for releasably locking the same in shifted signaling positions.

4. An automobile-signaling attachment comprising, in combination, a supportingbar adapted for rigid location horizontally upon the automobile forwardly of the instrument-board thereof, spaced bearings fixed on the bar, shafts mounted for rotation 10 in said bearings at right angles to the bar, a

gears, an operating member fixed upon the other shaft for manually actuating the gears to shift the arm, through rotary actuation of said one shaft, a pair ofspaced stops fixed on one of the bearings for engagement with the arm for limiting the shiftable movement thereof, and a spring member fixed upon said one bearing intermediate and" stops and provided With a series of depressions for engagement With said arm for re- I leasably locking the same in shifted signaling positions.

In testimony whereof, I have signed'my name to this specification.

WILLIAM J. KRAMER. N 

